Healthy Diet Tips to Reverse Diabetes

Consuming a healthy and well-balanced diet can be helpful in preventing, managing and treating several conditions, such as heart disease and cancer. Recent studies indicate that when combined with regular exercises, a healthy diet can help to reverse type-2 diabetes. In reference to Betul Hatipoglu, MD, an endocrinologist at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, one of the most effective ways for treating diabetes and pre-diabetes is through nutrition. By restricting calories in the diet, Hatipoglu says it will improve blood sugar levels by affecting the liver’s ability to produce sugar.

Here are some healthy diet tips that can help in reversing diabetes:

1. Pick a Healthy Diet

Come up with a diet plan that you can follow for the rest of your life. According to Susan Spratt, MD, an endocrinologist at Duke Medicine in North Carolina, your diet should not be something to just help you lose weight or temporarily treat diabetes. She says it is the main reason why health experts don’t recommend fad diets, such as the ones that eliminate multiple food groups, since they cannot be sustained.
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2. Personalize Your Diabetes Diet

Your main goal in personalizing your diabetes diet should not just focus on reducing calories, but also on how to make the most of calories you consume. Angela Ginn, RD, a certified diabetes trainer, and the spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says that a healthy diet should be rich in fruits, whole grains, vegetables, low-fat dairy and heart-healthy oils. In addition, you should use healthy food preparation methods, such as broiling, baking, grilling meats and roasting. It is also important to lower your salt intake.

3. Eliminate Saturated Fats

Hatipoglu says that another important tip of a healthy diet to reverse diabetes is to completely eliminate saturated fats. Alternatively, you should ensure that you are receiving less than 7% of daily calories from saturated fats. Also try to avoid trans fats and limit your cholesterol intake to less than 200 milligrams per day.

4. Never Skip Meals

Skipping meals, particularly breakfast, will make your body deprived of essential nutrients for normal function. It can also lead to cravings that may prompt you into making unhealthy food choices. Ensure that you consume three meals each day, along with healthy snacks in between meals in order to keep your blood glucose in control. In addition, stick to regular meal schedules every day. It is also recommendable to eat appropriate or controlled portion size per sitting. Irrespective of how tasteful a meal is, try as much as you can to avoid going for a second plate. Incorporating plenty of vegetables in your dishes will help to keep you full before the next meal.

5. Choose Healthy Energy Foods

It is a common knowledge that people suffering from diabetes should regularly consume low-carbohydrate foods. According to Hatipoglu, you should also stick to lean protein sources, such as poultry without skin and lean fish. If you prefer pork, go for the leanest cuts, trim any fats and avoid fried foods. You can also incorporate dairy products in your healthy diet for reversing diabetes. However, you should stick to low-fat options when it comes to milk, cheese, yogurt or other dairy products. This will ensure that your body gets adequate energy to carry out the essential functions smoothly.

6. Stay Hydrated

To stay hydrated, you should sip on water throughout the day. Alternatively, drink low-calorie beverages and avoid sugary drinks. Don’t wait until you become thirsty to drink water; having a bottle of water at your reach will be convenient in preventing dehydration. Also stay away from alcohol, which if consumed excessively can cause dehydration or lead to weight gain because it is packed with calories.

Conclusion

A healthy well balanced diet can be effective in reversing diabetes. However, it shouldn’t be a very restrictive diet because it can be difficult to stick with. It is important to note that such a diet for reversing diabetes entails a lifetime commitment and should give you all the essential nutrients your body deserves to function at its best. To support a healthy diet in reversing diabetes, you should engage in regular physical activities. This will also help in preventing weight gain that precedes diabetes. With the right diet and exercise routine, you can still improve the quality of your life even if you have diabetes.

Ella James is an aspiring author who is pursuing Health Services Administration degree from St. Petersburg College. She is an active contributor to Consumer Health Digest, which is a leading Health News Website. Her interests include reading and writing about Health, Fitness and Lifestyle News. Get connected with her on Facebook and Twitter.